WASHINGTON — Sen. Roland Burris refused to resign Tuesday, rebuffing a call from the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, who made it clear that the embattled Illinois lawmaker has little hope next year of winning the seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

“I told him that under the circumstances, I would resign,” fellow Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Burris. “He said, ‘I’m not going to resign.’ ”

“I can’t force him,” Durbin added.

Burris, a Democrat and the only black member of the Senate, was appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was impeached and driven from office after he was accused of trying to sell the Senate seat.

Burris repeatedly changed his story about how he was appointed.

He admitted trying to raise money for Blagojevich, but he has said he did nothing wrong.

Emerging from the private meeting with Durbin, Burris looked a bit shaken and inexplicably said he was under orders not to comment, other than to say the session was a “great discussion.”

Burris has faced intense pressure from all quarters, from politicians to home-state newspapers to black ministers clamoring for him to step down. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said last week that Burris should resign for the good of the state, arguing that the controversy surrounding his appointment has cast a shadow over his service in the Senate.

In their meeting, Durbin said he told Burris that support among other Democrats was eroding because of Burris’ shifting account of whether he tried to raise money for Blagojevich.

And in the careful language of the Senate, Durbin said he made it clear that if Burris tried to run for the seat next year, he would not have much — if any — support from Senate Democrats. Consistent with a Senate appointment, Burris would have to win the seat outright next year.

“I asked him if he would be a candidate in 2010, and he said he had not made up his mind,” Durbin said. “I told him I thought it would be extremely difficult for him to be successful in a primary or a general election under the circumstances.”

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